Numerous products have heretofore been produced where both woven and nonwoven fabrics were provided with a layer of foam laminated thereto, after which the composite was provided with a suitable backing so as to provide decorative textile materials. In such situations, the fabric which is a costly part of the laminate is completely enclosed by the foam, backing and the like and thus provides nothing more than strength for the composite. Further approaches include manufacturing techniques where decorative materials have been produced by expanding a foam on a temporary or permanent backing other than a textile material, applying an adhesive to the foam, flocking the foam and then embossing to provide a desired paattern or design in the material. Embossing has been accomplished by engraved roll techniques. Other prior techniques include foaming, and embossing followed by flocking; and/or the like where the product is physically or chemically deformed to assume the desired configuration. Printing an adhesive design onto a substrate, and flocking the adhesive area, followed by embossing has also been practiced. Products manufactured according to the above techniques have been utilized for floor coverings, wall coverings, draperies, and for other aesthetic purposes.
Numerous problems have been noted with the products and processes of the prior art. For example, products produced using a woven, nonwoven, knitted or other textile substrate are extremely expensive due to the high cost of the substrate, the high cost of necessary production equipment and low production speeds. Furthermore, definite limitations are found in the possible designs that may be incorporated into such a laminate. Embossed foam products are likewise fraught with disadvantageous properties. For example, utilization of a pressure plate, an engraved roll or the like for embossing a foamed article reduces definition of the design produced due to partial recovery of the foam. Moreover, the dimensional depth of the design is limited to the depth of engraving in the embossing roll and the design per se, is limited to the particular type design that may be provided by engraving the roll.
Chemical and other mechanical embossing techniques have also been utilized. In all such atatempts, there has been a definite lack of fine definition in the designs. In all such prior attempts, the products have experienced variation in foam density throughout the structure. Foam density variation creates unnecessary cost to the system since excess foam is being utilized; different aesthetic appearances in high and low density areas are apparent; and in general the problems heretofore mentioned concerning the prior art are present.
The present invention provides a greatly improved process for the production of a product that is excellent from an aesthetic quality, and also possesses good resilience, abrasion resistance, acoustical, and insulative properties to mention a few. Moreover, there is virtually no limit to the design that may be incorporated into the three dimensional decorative material according to the teachings of the present invention. The operational process of the present invention avoids the problems of the prior art as does the product produced thereby. As such, the process and product of the present invention represent a definite improvement over those previously known and utilized by the prior art.
The prior art is devoid of any teaching or suggestion of the subject invention. Examplary of the prior art are U.S. Pats.: Re No. 23,741 to Summers; Re. No. 26,385 to Gilchrist; No. 2,106,132 to Feinbloom; No. 2,691,611 to Saks; No. 2,714,559 to Sheffield et al; No. 2,784,630 to Koprow et al; No. 2,963,381 to Leimbacher; No. 3,194,702 to Geller et al; No. 3,196,030 to Petry; No. 3,215,584 to McConnell et al; No. 3,219,507 to Penman; No. 3,224,984 to Palmer; No. 3,322,606 to Koller; No. 3,365,353 to Witman; No. 3,408,248 to Maass; No. 3,436,245 to Grundman; No. 3,496,054 to Biagas, Jr.; No. 3,518,154 to Broadhurst; No. 3,528,874 to Spencer; No. 3,540,974 to Broadhurst; No. 3,575,778 to Wilcox; and No. 3,591,401 to Snyder et al.